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Making eggs
After making eggs sunny-side up, deglaze the pan with sherry vinegar, then drizzle the sauce on the eggs to add another dimension to the dish. |
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How make a tasty soup
Always make stock in a large quantity and freeze it in plastic bags. That way, when you want to make a nice soup or boil veggies, you can simply pull the bag out of the freezer. |
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15 Cooking Tips from Restaurant Chefs
An efficient kitchen staff operates quickly, quietly, and keeps up with the dance. To accomplish this, chefs have many tricks to produce a quality, tasty dish with minimal mess and high efficiency. Below is a list of some of their secrets that will benefit any home cook:
1. Mise en place
This might be the most important tip of all. “Mise en place” is French for “everything in place”. What it means to a chef? Before you cook have everything measured, peeled, chopped, pans greased, etc. and within reach. This will keep you from running around looking for the dried basil while your sauce is on the brink of burning.
2. A sharp knife is essential
Sharpen it on a regular basis. Dull knives are dangerous and make cutting much more difficult.
3. Taste as you go
You should know what the dish tastes like before serving it. Sometimes a little more salt or a dash of spice brings perfection. Which brings me to the next tip…
4. Salt as you go
Don’t be afraid of salt! Since you’re cooking a fresh meal instead of eating a packaged one, you’re starting out with much less sodium to begin with.
5. Tongs are an extension of your hand
Walk into any restaurant kitchen and you’ll see a set of tongs in almost every cook’s hand—usually gripped low down on the handle for maximum control. Use it to flip meat, pull a pan out of the oven, stabilize a steak while slicing, the list goes on and on.
6. Put a wet paper towel under a cutting board
Not only are cutting boards that slide on the counter annoying, they’re extremely dangerous when you’re holding a knife and trying to chop something. Wet a paper towel and lay it under the board and it won’t budge!
7. Sear chicken breast and finish in oven
Chefs sear a piece of meat, poultry, or fish in a pan and then place it in the oven. Not only does this free up burners, it results in a much moister result.
8. Don’t overcrowd your pan
When roasting or browning anything, the tendency is to cram as much in the pan as possible—resist! Do it in smaller batches instead. Crowding the pan leads to steaming and lowers the temperature of the pan so you won’t get the caramelization you’re looking for—and that’s where the flavor is!
9. Cook with a 1:1 ratio of butter and oil
Oil stops the butter from burning and the butter adds richness to the dish.
10. Cut the ends off onions, tomatoes, cantaloupe, etc. (any food that does not stay stable on the cutting board) to make a flat surface.
This allows you to have complete control of the item as you chop.
11. When baking, only mix until all ingredients are incorporated
Over-mixing causes toughness by developing gluten in the flour. For light and fluffy cupcakes, only mix until the batter’s come together.
12. Your broiler is basically an upside down grill
Use it for more than storage!
13. Don’t forget the power of your nose
If something in the oven smells done but the timer’s still ticking, check on it.
14. Lose the salt shaker
Use a small bowl of kosher salt and add pinches as you cook and taste. It’s easier to control the amount and ensures even coverage.
15. Clean as you go!
An oldie but goodie—a simple tip that makes a world of difference. Wipe down your cutting board in between items. Not only is it hard to chop something that is swimming in tomato juices, it’s unsafe to chop on a wet surface.
Read more: 15 Cooking Tips from Restaurant Chefs - Good Housekeeping |
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How to roast a chicken
- Roasting a chicken well is actually a very simply task.
- Add salt, pepper, one bay leaf, one crushed clove of garlic, and a small bunch of thyme to the body cavity.
Rub salt and pepper to the outside and rub a thick coating of soft (but not melted) butter all over the skin.
- Place the chicken breast side down in a roasting pan (this will help to prevent drying of the breast).
- Cook in a pre-heated oven at 400°F (200°C) for half the cooking time, (cooking time is determined by this formula: 15 minutes per 450g – 1lb – of chicken, plus 15 extra minutes).
-Turn the chicken over and finish cooking it breast side up.
Once cooked, put the chicken on a warmed platter and let stand for 15 minutes before serving to allow the juices to settle and the meat to relax.
-You can use a little boiling water to deglaze the pan and use this as the gravy. This method will give you crispy skin and moist flesh. |
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Make Your Own Spice Mixes:
FIVE SPICE POWDER
1 tsp. ground cinnamon, a tsp. ground cloves, 1 tsp. fennel seed, a tsp. star anice, 1 tsp. Szechwan peppercorns.
ITALIAN HERB SEASONING
1 tsp. oregano, 1 tsp. marjoram, 1 tsp. thyme, 1 tsp. basil, 1 tsp. rosemary, 1 tsp. sage
TAMARIND PASTE
1 tsp. dates, 1 tsp. prunes, 1 tsp. dried apricots, 1 tsp. lemon juice |
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If baked muffins stick to the bottom of the muffin cup, place hot muffin pan on a wet towel some minutes.
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If some muffin molds will remain empty during baking, put 2 to 3 tablespoons water in the unused muffin cups to keep the pan from warping.
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Do not fill more than 3/4 of the molds to allow batter to expand and to avoid muffins to flatten on top.
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For perfect muffins grease only the bottom of the mold and halfway up the side of it.
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Color and texture in the preparations may vary depending on the amount of sugar and the cooking time: increasing these will result in a darker color and a more firm preparation.
To obtain a yellowish color, an antioxidant, citric acid, is used or the squeezed juice of one lemon per kilogram of fruit which is the natural citric acid.
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In order to allow the preparation to set up when preparing JELLIED QUINCE / Machacado de membrillo, quince must be ripe but firm. If the fruit is too ripe, pectin contained in the fruit will not work adequately. |
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Home made quince desserts and jellies will have a clearer color than the commercial ones, due to the lack of artificial colorings and sweeteners. |
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Quince is among fruit the one that contains the highest amount of pectin, a natural jelling agent. |
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How to cook corn like an expert
Prep for the grill: To grill corn and not burn it can be tricky.
Here is how to get just-right results every time:
Soak ears in cold water for an hour, and then grill in the husk for 20 minutes, turning occasionally.Let the corn cool slightly. Remove husks and silk before serving.
When you slice off the kernels, take an extra step and "milk" the cob. It will yield liquid that adds intense flavor to soups or sautes. Holding the ear of corn upright in a bowl, use a paring knife to slice off the kernels. Then scrape the cob with the back of the blade to extract the creamy liquid. |
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After separating, bring egg whites to room temperature to ensure volume when beating. |
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Instead of salting gravy, enrich both color and flavor with a little soy sauce. |
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Contrary to what most people believe, when using beer, wine or other alcoholic beverages in recipes, a lot of alcohol is left after cooking.
Here are the facts from the Agricultural Research Service of the USDA (1989).
Alcohol remaining after preparation:
100% Immediate consumption
70% Overnight storage
85% Boiling liquid, remove from heat
75% flamed
Alcohol remaining: baked or simmered:
40% 15 min. |
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The classic bouquet garni consists of a few bay leaves, a parsley sprig and a thyme sprig tied in cheesecloth. Other herbs are frequently added, such as rosemary, savory, sage, basil, celery leaves, chervil, and tarragon. |
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Corn oil is odorless, has very little taste, and has a high smoke point, which makes it good for frying. It is also widely used in manufacturing salad dressing, mayonnaise and margarine. Corn oil contains very little cholesterol. |
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For a low-fat method of cooking boneless chicken breasts, rub them with chopped cilantro and a splash of lime and place in a lightly oiled oven-roasting bag. Cut and tie the open end of the bag to keep juices in and poach in a covered sauté pan. |
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To crush nuts quickly and easily, place in a self-sealing plastic bag and roll with a rolling pin. |
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For a low-fat method of cooking boneless chicken breasts, rub them with chopped cilantro and a splash of lime and place in a lightly oiled oven-roasting bag. Cut and tie the open end of the bag to keep juices in and poach in a covered sauté pan. |
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To retain the white color of fresh mushrooms, slice just before using or dip in lemon juice. |
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Dont squeeze fresh tomatoes to remove the seeds. Instead, scoop the seeds out with a teaspoon. |
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To keep cauliflower snowy as it cooks, add 2 tablespoons lemon juice or white vinegar to the cooking water. |
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You can revive wilted celery sticks by placing them in a bowl of ice water for an hour. |
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Vitamin C is water-soluble and heat-sensitive. Cooking vegetables for a short a time as possible is nutritionally wise. When cooking in water, have the water boiling before you add the vegetable. |
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If you add a little vinegar to the water when boiling peeled potatoes, it causes them to form a light crust that helps hold their shape when combined with other foods, very useful when making potato salad. |
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Cutting salad greens with a knife may cause discoloration and bruising. Instead, tear gently with the hands. The salad will look more attractive. |
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If you need to degrease a sauce or rich casserole as soon as it has finished cooking, move the pan or casserole partially off the heat; the fat will make its way to the cooler side and rise to the surface, where it can be removed with a spoon. Remove any remaining particles by drawing narrow strips of paper toweling quickly across the surface. |
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You can add garlic flavor to salads by rubbing halved garlic cloves around the inside of the salad bowl. |
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To reduce calories in your favorite French toast recipe, dont fry it. Bake it instead in a preheated 500° F. oven on a greased baking sheet for 6 minutes, turn and bake 3 to 4 minutes longer. |
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Perk up cooked carrots by mixing in apricot, peach or pineapple preserves. |
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Roll peeled bananas in strawberry preserves, sprinkle with granola or chopped nuts and freeze for a cool treat! |
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For white fluffy rice add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to one quart of water. |
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To eliminate the odor of boiling shrimp, add a few fresh celery leaves to the pot. |
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If using fresh herbs, always double the quantity from dried herbs. |
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To prevent browning of pared apples, soak them for ten minutes in moderately salted water or sprinkle them with a little lemon juice. |
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Before peeling the white membrane from oranges, for salad and dessert decoration, soak them in hot water for a few minutes. |
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Add a little garlic salt and grated parmesan cheese to popped corn and place in oven until hot. |
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A teaspoon of sugar in the water when you are boiling a cauliflower will free the kitchen from the unpleasant odor without affecting the taste of the cauliflower. |
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For firm beaten egg whites, add 1 drop of lemon for each egg white. |
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If honey has sugared, place jar in a boiling pot of water or in microwave oven. |
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Eggs beat up fluffier when not too cold. They should be at cool room temperature for best results. |
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Always add a little sugar when cooking tomatoes to bring out the flavor. |
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Always rub herbs (dried or fresh) briskly between the fingers to release the flavor oils. |
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Pasta will not stick to the pan if used 1 teaspoon cooking while cooking them. |
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Before squeezing lemons for juice, submerge lemons in hot water for about 15 minutes. You will yield almost twice the amount of juice. |
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Curry or chili powder should always be added in a recipe when you are browning, if possible. Browning will remove the bitter taste. |
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Heavy cream doubles in volume when whipped. One-half cup of whipping cream will make one cup of whipped cream. |
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To remove grease from soup, place a leaf of lettuce on the hot soup. Remove before serving. |
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Always add a little salt to recipes containing chocolate. It brings out the flavor. |
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The easiest way to defat any broth? Refrigerate for a couple hours and lift off the fat. |
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To seed tomatoes while keeping the skin intact, use a grapefruit spoon, or dinner teaspoon to scoop out the seeds and core. If the tomatoes do not stand level, slice a thin layer off of the bottoms before stuffing and baking. |
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Asparagus spears will snap off naturally where they become tough if you hold both ends and bend the spear. Don´t throw out the fibrous base that snaps off the spears, save and cook until very tender, then puree, strain and use in sauces and soups. |
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Slice potatoes on a mandoline as thin as possible. Butter one side, press fresh herbs lightly into the butter, top with a second potato slice, and bake in 400° F. oven until crisp. The chips will fuse and become translucent. Make ahead and reheat to use as hors d oeuvre. |
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When something is to be served cold — soups, pâté, ice cream, — pump up the seasonings. Cold numbs the palate. |
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When chopping nuts for baking, place nuts in food processor and sprinkle a small amount of flour called for in recipe. Nuts will not stick to processor blades. |
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If dinner must wait, you can keep cooked rice hot and fluffy by laying a slice of dry bread on top, then clapping on the lid. |
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After making vegetable juice in a juicer, use the pulpy vegetable residue to make a wonderful low-fat broth. |
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Make everything in big batches — soups, stews. Leftovers go into the freezer or may become tomorrow s lunch. A meat stew, thinned out and blended in a food processor, might have a second life as a sauce for noodles. |
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To give rice a Mediterranean flavor, add a little olive oil and lemon zest to the cooking water. |
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For quick, delicious croutons: Brush both sides of 1/4-inch-thick slices French bread with olive or vegetable oil, quarter each slice into 4 squares, place on a baking sheet, and brown in a 375° F. oven. Cool and rub squares with peeled garlic cloves. Toss into salads, scatter over soup, or seal in freezer containers and store in freezer. |
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For quick and easy ravioli, fill wonton wrappers with sautéed crabmeat, herbed goat cheese, or any filling you fancy. Moisten edges with egg wash to seal and poach in boiling water. |
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When browning meat for a stew, use the broiler instead of the skillet. Not only do you use no fat, much of the fat in the meat melts and drips away. |
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Bake bacon instead of broiling or frying it. At the end: less fat, less curl. |
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Cold eggs separate more easily than those at room temperature because the whites hold together better. |
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Bake bacon instead of broiling or frying it. Results in less fat, less curl. |
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Put a frozen roast directly in the oven, then cook a long time in a slow oven. This process makes very tender meat. |